Dragonborn
by Betony
Summary: Samara – Dragonborn of Skyrim – is banished from the land by the ruling king. Sent to a world much different from her own, the young woman must learn to adapt to her surroundings while a greater darkness threatens to swallow her world whole. (Suspense, Adventure, Romance... Let's find out)
1. nulla

**WARNING**

Altered version of Skyrim as some creative differences have been placed. I attempted to keep things as they were, but did add some things of my own for fun. Also, I favor the Justice League War movie over the 52, so yeah (cause Shazam is in it and he's just the sweetest lump of pie).

* * *

Skyrim:

Also known as 'the Old Kingdom' is a vast region in northern Tamriel that became occupied by traveling Nirns. It was the first region populated and is protected by warriors and magical beings alike, bordered by the Kingdoms Morrowind in the East, Cyrodiil to the South, Hammerfell to the South West, and High Rock to the West.

Early in 4E 199, a darkness plagued the land. Civil War started between two factions, the Empire and Storm cloaks (see _Civil War of Skyrim_ for more information) and a Demon known as Alduin, the Demon God of Destruction (see _Demon Gods_ for more information) threatened to tear apart the already fractioned land of Skyrim.

After the defeat of Alduin in 4E 201 at the hand of a mysterious being, who used the Dragons to end the Civil War and place a new King on the throne. The existence of a people known as the Dragonborn (see _Dragonborn_ for more information) was revealed and more studies were thrown into finding out their abilities and powers.

* * *

 _"This is no game, girl!" The child bellowed, slamming his fist to the gilded throne, his golden branch crown set askew. Shutting his enraged blue eyes for a moment, the Child-King of Solitude reopened them after a calming breath, though all in the court were not fooled._

 _Many of the royals stood on batted breath, eyes flickering between their disgruntled King and Skyrims savior – the Dragonborn. The Dragonborn was loathed by many nobles, as she herself was a lower class, however many peasants worshiped her as the Dragonborn managed to do the impossible: Kill the demon that plagued the lands for over a hundred years, Abaddon._

 _Because she was of no allegiance, the purpose of this ceremony was to tether the Dragonborn so she may serve the royal family but the unprecedented happened. The Dragonborn refused._

 _"I am to be bound to no man," The Dragonborn declared as she stood. Though the armored woman used no Thu'um, her voice still carried great power. Greater than the king. Though her white hood and mask obscured her expression, there was no doubting the fire of her brown gaze. "I am the Dragonborn, I will protect my people. All of my people, not one child."_

 _"You dare-!" The young King exclaimed, though before he could continue, his advisor/older half-brother stepped in, looking none too pleased._

 _The blue eyes only the royal family share stared down at the Dragonborn with disappointment. "Dragonborn," He started, sounding both respectful and condescending. "You do realize that shall you refuse binding yourself to serve and protect the royal family, is treason."_

 _"And binding myself would hinder my efforts to aid the people."_

 _"You are a stubborn woman," The advisor sighed. Straightening up, he lifted a hand. "Death would only cause us troubles in Skyrim, so we must do the next best thing."_

 _Melding from the shadows appeared a large group of mages, all cloaked in purple robes with black trimming. While many in the court broke out in gasps, the Dragonborn stood still and ready._

 _"You leave us no choice." The advisor stepped back, revealing a smug child in posh robes to stand and bellow:_

 _"Samara of Kingscreek, Dragonborn of Solitude, I hereby banish you from Skyrim into the world beyond! You are forever forbidden from returning!" The boy king crossed his arms and nodded._

 _As the mages prepared to start their spell, a strong gust of wind blew from the entry way._

 _All turned and cowered at seeing a man with taut tan skin stand there, his diamond wings twice his size having blown the doors off their hinges and a large skull of a bird covered his face as a masked helm_. An Avian _, everyone recognized as his azure gaze locked with the boy king. Krosis he was called, the Dragonborns loyal and silent ally since she was a child._

 _Before the winged man could act, the Dragonborn rose a hand in a halting motion. "Leave it be, old friend," The Dragonborn declared, nodding with a defeated smile in her voice. "If we fight this, it would be the people who suffer. Best if I just go."_

 _The Bronze toned man stabbed the blunt side of his spear in protest, as Avians outside of their clan are unable to speak, conveying his anger and remorse._

 _With a nod, Samara allowed her gaze to linger towards her friend. "Keep the people safe."_

 _When the Avian did not move, no longer a threat, and when the Dragonborn nodded to the mages, the twelve masters of mystics shouted collectively: "_ Nahl Govey Vus _!"_


	2. I

Dragonborn:

Dragonborns' are rare warriors, born of Seraphim (see _Seraphim_ for more information) who seduced mortal women and are the only beings capable of defeating Dragons as no other mortal can defeat them. Their powers are latent until they kill a Dragon, the Seraphim offspring absorbing the Dragon soul; thus, the offspring is now known as a Dragonborn. After a Dragonborn is discovered, they are taken by the Greybeards (see _Greybeards_ for more information) to the Throat of the World (see _Geography of Skyrim_ for more information) to learn the Thu'um (see _Thu'um_ for more information) and become assets in the Kingdom.

As far as any are aware, there have only been three Dragonborns; the mysterious Orc (see _Orcs_ for more information) who killed Alduin [4E n/a – 4E 204], Kalinda the High Elf (see _Types of Elves_ for more information) [4E 202 – 4E 314], and Samara the Breton (see _Bretons_ for more information) [4E 302 – 4E n/a].

* * *

Samara blinked and was suddenly standing on a metal arch overlooking a bridge of flat stone and steel with narrow buildings as tall as mountains. The sun was down (if this world even had a sun), so the buildings and streets were highlighted by flameless lanterns brighter than any she has seen. The white robed woman's heart clenched when it hit her; she was truly not home, this was a world unlike her own with their metal carriages and torches lit by something other than fire.

But the Dragonborn was nothing if not adaptive. With a calming breath, the woman glanced down the steep drop before jumping down and landing on the smooth stone work, easily gliding down the road as the metal carriages behind her screeched to a stop and bellowed a strange sounding horn.

Turning slightly around with a curious hum, the white hooded/masked woman tilted her head at the bright lights in her face as a man stepped out of his metal contraption to shout: "Hey lady, who the hell do you think you are?!"

Samara was silent for a moment, weighing her options and debating on what to say when she realized that she had no knowledge of this land or what to do. Not to mention she was shocked at his choice of attire. Some sort of matching black cloths with a white shirt under. He looked like a noble but was probably just a high-class merchant considering he had less pomp.

"Hey lady, you deaf?!" The man continued to shout but kept his distance. "And what the hell is with your clothes?!"

"Is there something wrong with my attire?" Samara asked calmly, turning to face the man directly instead of from the side. _That's not good_ , the Dragonborn thought. _I can't stand out before knowing what my purpose in this world should be_. With a nod, Samara stepped up to the man, who noticeably faltered. "If that is the case, then I require your aid."

"Uh… What?"

"What's the name of this town, good sir?"

The man blinked. "Central City."

Samara hummed. "Hm, strong name, straight forward. I like it." Linking her fingers behind her back, the white hooded woman asked, "Which way to the nearest tavern? I require lodging and new clothes."

Steadily walking back to his car, the man pointed back at the city. "There's a… A hotel down the road. Listen, lady, I've got to run." And with that, the man left, his carriage screeching down the road, leaving behind a smell of rubber and a confused but grateful Samara.


	3. II

Thu'um:

Also known as Storm Voice utilizes the Dragon Language (see _Dragon Language_ for more information) to form Shouts of immense magic and power. Originally derived from Dragons (see _Dragon Origins_ for more information) who used their Shouts to wreak havoc upon man. The goddess Kyne (see _Nord Gods and Goddesses_ for more information) felt pity for man and taught a promising few the Storm Voice. While Dragons can use the Thu'um in actual roars, the mortals could use their ability by combining three words of power, though in rare cases, some Thu'um can possess four words of power (see _Devour Soul_ for more information). With the Thu'um, large groups of mortals could manipulate the world around them, conjure fire or ice, and fight off the Dragons from their land.

* * *

Within Central City, the bank robber panted as she hid in the alleyways, looking down at the only bag her crew managed to retrieve before the Flash showed up. Thankfully she was finished with her load and heard the attack over their commlinks before mistakenly going back there.

By now the cops must be looking for the missing fifteen-hundred-thousand dollars, but for now, they were shit out of luck.

The red head chuckled to herself but stopped short when footsteps echoed off the alley floor. Turning around, the woman blanched at the white robed woman. _What is this?_ She thought. _Another 'hero'?_ "Like we don't have enough problems," The woman gripped, pulling out her revolver. "What with the Flash being on my ass, now we got some fucking wanna be?" pointing the gun in the women's direction, she fired one warning shot that lodged itself in the brick wall by the white hooded women's head. "Be gone, bitch."

'White Hood', as she was mentally dubbed, simply tilted her head at the robber before widening her stance and shouted, her voice firm and inhuman, nearly like a roar: " _Gol Hah Dov_!"

The red headed bank robber was now a victim trapped in her own mind, her body relaxing against her will. _What is this?!_ She silently demanded, unable to voice the question herself.

White Hood sounded pleased with herself as she stepped closer. "Well, now that you are not so rude, you will answer some questions for me." Without waiting for a reply, the woman continued. "Where is the nearest tavern? I seem to have lost my way."

"Tavern?" The red head remarked, sounding less snarky than she wanted to be.

The other woman nodded. "Yes. A place to lodge."

"There's a motel down the block. Red Tree Motel."

White Hood nodded, placing a hand in one of her pockets within her robe before revealing gold and silver coins. "And how many days would this much allow me?"

 _Are you freaking kidding me?! That's real gold! What's this freak doing walking around with real gold?!_ "Places here don't use that currency, we use dollars, like these," involuntarily, the robber revealed her large bag of fifteen-hundred-thousand dollars. "Though if you sell that to the right people, you could make some big bucks too." _Why would I tell her that?!_

The woman nodded, pocketing her money and grabbing the proffered bag of cash. "I see, thank you miss thief. Now…" She paused, looking over the women's outfit; a black leather jacket to combat the late autumn weather over a red long sleeve, black jeans, and combat boots. "Your wardrobe... Before I command you to relinquish yourself to the City Guard, I shall require your ensemble."


	4. III

Seraphim:

Belonging to the celestial hierarchy of ardor, light, and purity, Seraphim are rumored to be children of Kyne (see _Kyne_ for more information) and guardians of every living being in Tamriel. As beings of righteousness, Seraphim are warriors capable of purifying a Dragons soul (see _Origins of Dragons_ for more information) and fitted with the ability to sense the evil of Dragons and Demons alike. However, for reasons unknown to man, Seraphim no longer defend the land of Tamriel from Dragons, despite their presence being known. A theory was placed that it is because Seraphim are able to sense the souls of a Dragonborn and thus see no reason to reveal themselves to provide aid that is not needed.

Though it is rare, having happened only 3 times in the last 250 years, some Seraphim who serve as guardian angels fall for their charges, many of them women. When a Seraphim bonds with a mortal, it is typical for their union to result in a half-blood Seraphim, a Seraph.

The Seraph is a child of great strength, with an unnaturally strong attunement with their Spirit (see _Spirit_ for more information). However, it is not until that they consume a Dragon soul are they referred to as Dragonborn (see _Dragonborn_ for more information).

* * *

Flash was caught off guard when the cops came in with a blanket draped woman claiming to be one of the robbers of the bank robbery.

The red clad hero caught the last of her conversation with the police. "… And then she took my – I mean – _the_ money! God! why am I telling you all this! Fuck!"

"Do you know what she looked like?" The arresting officer questioned.

The red head scoffed. "I wish. The freak made me forget what she looked like and where she went. All I remember is she had a white hood and mask, she looked like one of those damn nerds at those medieval conventions."

"A Meta with flare?" Flash questioned, glancing to the cop, who could only sigh.

"Maybe. We'll have to keep an eye open though."

Furrowing his brows, the green-eyed hero contemplated going to the Justice League, before shaking his head. No, he'll only go to them if this Meta proved too much for him to handle. Besides, it looked like she did the city a service. At least this time.


	5. IV

Bretons:

A race of both Nord and Elven ancestry, they are a people who make excellent mages and warriors. Because of their elven ancestry, they have a natural affinity for Magick (see _Magick_ for more information) and coupled with their sturdy Nord build, are more durable than actual Elves, who are lithe and petite. While they are mostly concentrated in High Rock (see _the Geography of Tamriel_ for more information) they are still considered a minority as there is merely 1 Breton for every 300 Nords. Some Bretons migrated to Skyrim to start new lives as court magicians or to avoid persecution for their magical abilities (see _The Disillusionment Trials of High Rock_ for more information). Notable Bretons include Glenda Howell, Dean of Magical History at the Bards College, and Samara the Dragonborn.

* * *

Samara has been in this world for close to two weeks and has realized many things. To name a few:

1\. The people were not appreciative of her magic. When she lit a fire to read, the landlady (a kindly old thing whom Samara saved from a mugging and was rewarded by allowing her a permanent place to stay) reprimanded her and told her that many people couldn't do that and those who did were mainly heroes.

2\. Many of these so called 'heroes' wore masks. The Dragonborn found this cowardly at first but realized it was necessary to protect those they cared about. The locally famous 'superhero', was a man called, the Flash, who ran faster than a bullet - whatever a 'bullet' was, he must indeed be fast. He would be a worthy fight, Samara recalled thinking, and maybe ally so they could continue to spar.

3\. There was a requirement to stay in this land that her landlady, Esther, referred to as 'Registering as a U.S citizen'. When she dropped Samara off at some registration office, the cognac-eyed woman only had to shout the worker to do her will and just get her processing done so she could be a citizen and not be questioned by the city guard every time she performed in the park and asked for identification.

4\. There were these small metal boxes that people speak to and light up, used to communicate. Esther said they were called cell phones and that they were vital to keep in touch with others. The white-haired woman was even kind enough to give Samara a 'blackberry' to practice with. 'It's an old model', she said, but it was some complicated piece of work.

The dark-haired woman was currently sitting at a coffee shop ('You need to get out more,' Esther said. 'why don't you go to that coffee shop for a while and I'll text you when dinner's done.') fiddling with the aspect of 'texting' when someone knocked on her table a tad timidly.

"Uh, excuse me." Looking up, Samara was met with the brightest jade green eyes she's seen in her life. They were open and strong, yet humble and honest. The man was handsome with short yet windblown blonde hair, strong jaw and an easy smile. That was currently directed at Samara. "Do you mind if I sit here, the place is kind of…"

Samara glanced around, noticing how packed the small coffee shop had somehow become. Was she really looking at her metal box for that long?

Looking back at the kind man, the woman nodded, "Certainly."

"Thanks," He breathed, quickly taking the last seat across from her and placing his cup of coffee down as well. A moment of silence passed until he spoke again. "Is there something wrong with your coffee?"

"Huh?" The brunette blinked, snapping out of her daze of undirected staring; luckily, she zoned out looking at her own cup of coffee.

The blonde chuckled, "Your coffee. You're just... staring at it." He sounded bemused, a smile on his lips and one brow raised.

"Ah, right," Samara blinked, touching the paper cup and feeling it's still warm temperature. "Sorry it's just that… I've never had this beverage before." Blushing under the mans surprised expression, the brown eyed girl hastily added, "Usually only the nobles of my town could afford such a thing, but here," Her tone turned mystified as she glanced around at the occupants drinking their own brown liquids. "Practically everyone can afford this."

The man whistled, "You must've lived a way away. Where you from?" He asked with interest, leaning in and smiling at Samara with that easy smile of his.

Expecting such a question, the woman already had an answer prepared. "A small town in Scotland, it's practically off the maps." Hesitantly picking up her coffee, and giving a pleased hum at the alluring scent of the brew.

"You must've travelled pretty far," He remarked in awe, taking a sip of his coffee while maintaining that interested glint in his green eyes.

Taking a sip of her own, Samara verified her approval of the beverage before taking another sip then answering. "Yes, well, the trip was really quite a blur. Happened in a blink of an eye."

Jade eyes glinted at her joke, and she gave a tentative smile back before he offered a hand. "My name's Barry. Barry Allen. I work at Central PD as a forensic analyst."

If the proud glint in his eyes was anything to go by, Samara was going to guess that the title symbolized an important role for the City Guard. Taking the hand with her own smile, she answered in kind. "Samara. Samara Kingscreek. I'm… I just sing at the park sometimes."

The man she now knows as Barry, widens his grin as she gave a disbelieving chuckle. "No way! You're the one who sings in the park, everyone loves you there! You know, I always hear my coworkers talking about..." And that was how Samara made her first friend in a land of strangers. Things were starting to look up.


	6. V

Magick:

While every being is capable, Magick is an ability commonly seen in those of elven ancestry, like Bretons or Elves (see _the Races of Tamriel by Glenda Howell_ for more information). However, an exception is made for those of Seraphim decent, who present a natural affinity for spell casting(see _Types of Magic_ for more information).

Most commonly known as the 'Clever Craft', Magick is governed by the casters Spirit capacity (see _Spirit_ for more information) and willpower in order to cast spells.

* * *

Barry smiled at the text he received from Samara, who was replying to the one he asked half an hour ago, but it was alright considering she admitted to having never owned a phone and was still getting used to texting; thankfully, she was used to sending pictures with messages (that took at least an hour to show her what to do and have the information stick).

 _ **Hey Sammy, we still good to meet up tomorrow for some more coffee? :D :) – BA (8:17 pm)**_

 _ **Of course, MT friend. How does nine o'cock sound? – SK (8:46 pm)**_

Barry snickered at her misspelled words and allowed a laugh when she corrected herself.

 ** _*my – SK (8:48 pm)_**

 ** _*o'clock – SK (8: 50 pm)_**

 ** _By the way, what does :D and :) mean? – SK (8:54 pm)_**

Aware that he was in the Hall of Justice, where just about anyone can sneak up on him, Barry gave a quick sweep of the room before speedily replying, a smile already plastered on his face.

 ** _Those are just smiley faces, you know, to help convey emotions. – BA (8:54 pm)_**

 ** _You can just experiment with them if you want, so it's easier to understand how you're feeling since texting is just words – BA (8:54 pm)_**

Not expecting an immediate answer, Barry pocketed his phone before making his way inside, catching sight of Shazam and Cyborg and going up to greet the pair.

"Sup guys, how's it hanging?"

Shazam grinned and waved while answering, "You, what's up speedy! Not much, just talking football."

"How are you Flash? Central doing alright?" Cyborg added, noticeably not answering Flash's first question.

Shazam's brown eyes lit up as he gave a worried glance to the red clad speedster. "OH yeah, there was something on the news about some Meta who can control people's actions."

Flash nodded. "Yeah, but she hasn't shown up or made any attention to herself since that one time, so I guess she moved on. I already –" A phone chime interrupted his sentence.

The larger yet childish hero, Shazam, puffed out some air but smiled in amusement. "Dude, since when did you carry your phone around with you?"

Ignoring his jab, Barry opened the message and promptly shut down all brain function, feeling his face heat up while simultaneously grinning.

 ** _Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow Big Boy! ;3 – SK (9:00 pm)_**

"Yo, Flash, what's wrong?" Hal came up behind his old friend. Realizing the speedster was not responding, the Green Lantern promptly looked over the shoulder of the other and grinned. "Woah buddy, look at you go. Not even a month after the breakup, and you've already got yourself a girl."

Flash blushed as red as his suit, though before he could argue, Shazam laughed boisterously. "No way! Flash has a girlfriend?! What'd she send? What'd she say?" The white caped hero made a grab for the cell but predictably missed.

Unfortunately, Hal was all too willing to reveal the truth himself. With a wide grin, he divulged, "She called him 'big boy' and sent a flirty kissy face. She wants him, you player!"

Shazam laughed even louder, and even Cyborg couldn't help but smile at his comrade's misfortune, until Flash finally shouted, "Shut up guys! She probably didn't even mean it!"

"Why would you think that?" the dark-skinned cyborg questioned, with a slight tilt to his head.

"Because," Flash admitted, "She's new here and never had a phone before, I'm sure she doesn't even know what that face means."

"What about the nickname?" Shazam pointed out with a sly grin. "I mean, the emoji's I can understand, but that little pet name… she's obviously flirting with you."

"What? No. No, she can't…" Flash mumbled, unable to defy the logic until his mobile chimed again. Whipping out the device with lightning speed, the green-eyed hero sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment. "See, I told you she wasn't trying to flirt with me."

Lifting the phone for the others, the three heroes read the message:

 ** _I apologize for my last message. I asked Esther for a nickname for you as you use one for me and she suggested the emoji and proceeded to laugh and admitted to the flirtatious nature of both – SK (9:05 pm)_**

This was then followed up with an attachment of an elderly woman with snow white hair rolling on the ground laughing in a sundress.

Flash forced a smile on his face before replying.

 ** _Lol, No Biggy, see you tomorrow. – BA (9:05 pm)_**

He sighed after sending it, realizing that she probably didn't know what 'lol' meant, before returning the device to his pocket and looked up at his friends who gave the man sober expressions of support.

Cyborg only placed a hand on Flash's shoulder before entering the meeting room and Shazam awkwardly stuck around before following soon after.

Flash only sighed when Hal offered to go drinking with him later, unwilling to address the disappointment in his heart before going to see what Batman wanted.

* * *

Samara tilted her head at the message, preparing to ask Esther what this 'lol' meant until the box of moving picture cut off from her favorite show 'Game of Thrones' to a news anchor.

 _"We interrupt this program to reveal some Breaking News,"_ the man on the screen addressed. His visage was then replaced with a tall building. _"The national charity event meant to raise awareness for immigrant hardships took an unexpected turn as an unknown villain has taken some 30-people hostage here at the DC American Embassy. It is unclear what his purpose is, but authorities are unable to make a move without threatening the lives of the hostages themselves, who includes Central City's Secretary, Margret Halmsburg."_

The brunette hummed in thought. A Central City noblewoman was taken hostage, that's not good. "Esther," Samara called, walking past the kitchen to her resting room.

The newsman droned on, _"The Justice League have been contacted, though it is unclear as to when they will arrive on the scene."_

"Yes, dearie?" The frail old woman called back.

Opening the closet door revealed a sparse selection of clothing, but hanging on the wall was her armored white robes and white steel mask. Her long sword to the left and dagger and bow to the right. Lifting the mask, Samara plainly provided, "I'm afraid I won't be staying tonight. But before I go, may I have a map to the DC American Embassy?"

* * *

 **Well then, it has been a while. Apologies for the wait loves, but I had some things to take care of.**

 **Thanks for the support and hope you guys are having fun reading this as much as I am writing it.**


	7. VI

Types of Shouts:

Of the Thu'um exist different variations, different Shouts. Through decades of dedication, rigorous learning, and training (see _Greybeards_ for more information) even a mortal can learn a handful of Shouts that extend from just force into the manipulation of fire, ice and in rare cases, will itself. Many wielders of the Thu'um, most notably the Dragonborns of old, were able to create many new Shouts that control the sky and even teleport themselves around Skyrim.

* * *

Samara stood on a building adjacent to the Embassy. Apparently, this 'villain' has taken hostages hours prior and everyone is powerless to do anything unless his demands were met. The so-called Justice League had yet to make an appearance, though the Dragonborn cannot understand why.

" _Laas Yah Nir_ ," She whispered, her eyes flashing violet and honing on the building. Able to see passed the windows and steel, the Dragonborn saw many huddled figures on the third floor – the hostages, she assumed – with five guards on the same floor and six on the ground level. Looking up, she saw that there were two men on the roof, guarding that entrance as well, not like she'll use it.

Backing away from the ledge, Samara prepared herself to jump, a shout already bubbling in her chest until a voice spoke from behind her. "Um, what are you doing?"

Turning around, her Aura Whisper already dimming, the white masked woman faced a young man in a form fitting red ensemble, complete with a white cloak and gold lightning emblem. He appeared to be floating off the ground, slowly lowering himself to the roof she was currently on.

Is he one of the heroes? Samara wondered the same time she answered: "Attempting a rescue."

The young man tilted his head. "And how were you gonna do that?"

"Use my Thu'um to create a Whirlwind Sprint to jump to the fourth level of the building, then Shout the windows into breaking and attract the enemy's attention."

The brown eyed man blinked, raising a hand to his ear. "Uh-huh, right…" He then spoke to himself, hand to ear, "Hey guys, I got some weird white robed woman who claims to make whirlwinds – well, she said she's here to help, but I've never seen her before… yeah… uh-huh. Really?" His expression was shocked before glancing in Samara's direction again. "Hey, by any chance were you ever in Central City and made some robber give you her clothes?" He suddenly flinched, "Well how else am I supposed to know?" He questioned himself.

Samara nodded, causing the man to falter. "Yes. I was in need of the appropriate attire as these ones would draw attention should I wear them every time I go out."

He stared wide eyed at Samara while mumbling, "Yeah, she said yes... Okay, I'll do that." Taking a deep breath, the man then furrowed his brows and strode towards the cloaked woman with purpose. "Ma'am, you're coming with me."

Sighing, Samara realized that this would hinder her quest in saving these people and shook her head. "I simply do not have time for you," She declared. Then with an echoing shout: " _Hun Kaal Zoor_!" A specter appearing as a Viking warrior emerged from the wind, with a long sword and shield, facing the white caped hero with a grimace. "If you'll excuse me."

"Hey-!" Shazam was caught off guard when the wavering form suddenly tackled him to the ground with a shout, wailing in him with the shield. "Shit!"

While that was going on, Samara managed to conjure a Whirlwind sprint and broke the fourth level window with unrelenting force. Rolling to a stop, the white robed woman kept her sword strapped, intent on not using it on these weaklings; she needed to refine her hand to hand combat anyway.

The whole reason she needed to land a floor above the hostages, was so Samara wouldn't have to use her shout in their vicinity. The white masked girl clearly remembers the time she used Unrelenting Force in one of the Southern villages when she first became Dragonborn, that sent five villagers flying and the City Guard placing a bounty on her. Samara was going to try her hardest not to do it again.

Walking towards the door, Samara was glad her armor was enchanted to deflect damage as suddenly, two of the criminals open fired at her with their mini cannons, metal balls bouncing off and falling to the ground.

Their moment of hesitation was all the white robed woman needed. Without further ado, and with all the gusto of a true warrior from the Nirn, Samara lashed out in a flurry of fists and elbows, catching a man with a devastating uppercut and another with a cross-hook. Relaxing, the brown-eyed woman breathed, enjoying the pulsing of her knuckles, even through the thick leather of her gloves.

Successfully incapacitated, the harsh woman continued forward, rushing down the stairs to the proceeding floor of this glass tower. Opening the door, and with all the stealth to make even the Dark Brotherhood jealous, the white robed woman hid behind the pillars and waited.

When one of the unsuspecting men ventured too close to Samara's hiding place, the woman deftly grabbed him and slit his throat with a hand over his mouth, gently lowering his body to the ground before taking care of the remaining two.

Dashing out, Samara was struck with uncertainty when the two gun wielders took their aim at the hostages, intending harm.

When no other thought struck her, Samara acted on instinct. " _Fus Ro Dah_!" and immediately regretted it.

The Shout sent the criminals and less than half of the hostages flying to the opposite wall, crumbling in pain and unconsciousness.

Looking to the remaining hostages, Samara was unable to ask if they were alright before a weighed foot struck her on the side of the face, forcing her to slam into the glass window, not shattering it, but it did crack.

Grunting when a hand wrapped around her throat, Samara looked passed the shadow of her hood to glare at a black masked man. His cowl defined with two sharp ears at the top of his head, and while his eyes were covered, she could tell the man was furious.

"Who are you?" He demanded in a gravelly voice.

"I am the Dovahkiin of Nirn, I came to help considering you people were late."

His grip tightened on her throat. "And harming the hostages was you helping?" He asked sarcastically.

"They would have been harmed anyway had I not acted."

The stranger was silent for a moment before mumbling, "And you don't even feel bad about it…"

The Dragonborn scoffed. "And you would have done better? _Pahlok_." She sneered. "Had I not arrived, you would have dealt with all five and by then someone would have been taken hostage. I do not require your permission to do what is right, nor do I wish for your criticism when something goes awry."

"No, you don't," He conceded. Suddenly Samara found her arm twisted until she faced the glass. "But you are coming in for questioning."

The white masked girl sighed. "Any other time, I would allow this, but considering I have a previously planned engagement to attend tomorrow, I must decline." With her free arm, Samara slipped her enchanted ice dagger out and slashed at the man, surprising him enough for his grip to loosen and her arm to slip. Still facing the window, the woman shouted. " _Fus Ro Dah_!" And jumping out the shattered window. " _Wuld Nah Kest_!" She shouted again, a whirlwind appearing and carrying her away, far from the shouts and regretfully leaving a trail of upturned cars in its wake.

* * *

Flash zoomed up behind Batman, having checked on the hostages and finding only a few suffered any serious injury from that women's shout. "Well, looks like she can do more than just 'charm' people," He managed, earning a grunt in the affirmative from Batman. "Metahuman?"

"Maybe, but that training she has in combat is too specific, it goes well with her ability." Placing a hand to his com, Batman messaged to Cyborg back at the Hall of Justice. "Cyborg, I want you to find any references to the words she used to power her shouts. We might be able to find something there."

"Sure thing Batman, I'll let you know if I find anything."

Batman looked down at the chaos her whirlwind caused, knowing how unlikely they were to catch her this late in the game. The police cars were scattered, some thrown through windows and even a few overturned. Whoever this woman is, she had no sympathy for the people themselves.


	8. VII

Spirit:

The intangible source of Magick is a reserve that all living beings possess, from a blade of grass to a Dragon, everything has Spirit. However, only a handful of creatures can delve into this life source and manipulate it in the real world. The more prominent examples are mages, Dragons, and Dragonborn.

Spirit gets its energy from life around its host, but for the Dragonborn, it can replenish its energy by taking in the souls and spirits of the Dragons they defeat. While it will replenish their spirit, their body will still be fatigued and if they consume more than one soul simultaneously, there is the danger of straining their own spirit to a degree they cannot contain.

* * *

Samara sighed as she tapped her finger against the paper cup. Thinking back to last night, she realized how difficult it was to keep these people happy.

While healing herself with magic, the brunette watched the news and found that while all of the hostages were recovered, they made her out to be the bad guy, simply because a few of them got hurt. Honestly, were she in Nirn, the people wouldn't care how she did it so long as she got the job done. All this 'nitpicking' reminded her greatly of the nobles in court.

'She let a fire burn down my house.' _I was battling a Dragon_.

'She let my wife die.' _Your wife was the one stealing your money, and she wouldn't allow herself to be caught._

Heaving a great sigh, the woman nearly missed her blonde headed friend come in, had he not announced his arrival. "Hey Samara, how are you?"

Taking his seat across from her, the cognac eyed woman allowed a small smile to grace her lips, though her shoulders slouched. "Tired, mentally and physically."

Barry chuckled. "I feel you. Did you hear what happened last night?" He asked conversationally.

Samara quirked a brow. "You mean that 'hero' who saved the hostages last night before the Justice League showed?"

The green-eyed man nodded with a slight frown. "Yeah. Turns out she bailed before the police can get to her. A lot of people got hurt because of it."

Lifting her cup to mask her annoyance, Samara asked, "Why would the police arrest her? She did what was asked."

The Forensic Analyst eyed his friend skeptically. "She hurt people, Sam."

"Many people get hurt in those situations, it is fortuitous that no one died," Samara snapped, nearly slamming her paper cup on the table and earning a shocked wide eyed expression from the blonde across from her, before reeling in her temper. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."

Barry shook his head, "No, no. It's fine just… Never seen you so…"

"Angry," She guessed without question.

"Passionate." Barry corrected with a smile. "I know a lot of people who would jump on the wagon if they heard a cop accidentally shooting a bystander during a robbery or if the Justice League ended up causing road damage. 'It could have been avoided'. 'There's no need for that'."

"But the truth is, we can never understand what was going on in that moment," Samara added, feeling her nerves relax at his easy smile. "Sometimes it is better to be grateful for what has happened, rather than dwell on what could have been."

"Though it's always good to look back and not do that again in the future," Barry quirked a brow.

The brunette laughed and lifted her cup in a salute. "Here, here."

Seemingly satisfied that her mood has brightened, Barry went back to business. "No, I am grateful that woman helped the Justice League, but," He sighed. "Sorry, I'm just… Not used to people not answering for their actions."

"Sometimes consequences are unavoidable," Samara answered, looking out into the cloudy sky. "The best we can do is learn from our mistakes and become better by them."

The blonde sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Then a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, the State Police is throwing a charity event Friday night and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me? You know, as my plus one?"

Samara tilted her head in that cute way Barry adored. "You mean a gala?"

Barry nodded, feeling his hope swell up. "Yeah. There'll be cake, food, drinks. I even heard there was going to be a lion tamer."

A few moments passed, where the green-eyed man felt his hope start to dwindle before Samara looked back at him with a smile. "I would be honored."

* * *

Bruce sighed as the computer again resolutely blinked with the one answer he disliked seeing.

'No Match.'

Every database he searched, every ancient language he perused, there was no match to the dialect that woman used.

It's been a week since that run in with the woman who called herself 'Dovahkiin' bothered to show her face. There was no mention of her in Central or anywhere else. So he's narrowed his searches to find her by cameras. Many of them were taken out when she used that whirlwind, if he could just map out the route took, Batman could calculate her approximate location and then have Flash patrol the area –

"Master Bruce," Alfred appeared from behind. "I'm afraid it's time for your charity event, sir."

That's right. Wayne enterprise was invited to some Charity ball considering they were one of the donors. Reluctantly turning away from his computer, Bruce nodded. "Alright. Prepare the car, I'll be ready in ten."


	9. VIII

Samara was never one for parties, but she did enjoy their food. Wearing a high neck, long sleeved, ruby red evening gown, the brunette was warmly relieved when Barry gawked at her for a moment before blushing red and taking her out, much the amusement of Esther. The elder woman playfully called out, 'Have fun on your date and keep your hands to yourself young man', much to the blonde man's embarrassment and Samara's exasperation.

The ball itself was grand, though less pomp than what the nobles usually throw. It was outside in the park of Central City, lit up with fairy lights and some spotlights on a stage where live music was playing. Many people laughed and chatted, there were a few dancers, though the majority of them seemed to be waiting for the lion tamer.

"I still can't believe they actually got a lion tamer," A coworker of Barry's chuckled when a large cage was wheeled in.

"Hey, they asked for entertainment and everyone wanted this. Apparently."

As her date(?) was drawn into conversation, Samara felt it appropriate to walk around, mainly to get closer to the lion cage where a few people lingered as well.

It was a magnificent beast, she marveled. With honey tan fur, paws as big as her face and a flowing gold mane. It's eyes were amber and stared back at her before turning away.

"Beautiful animal, don't you think?" A man spoke to her right.

Turning to face him, Samara quirked a brow at his refined get-up and handsomely narrow features. Raven hair swept back, porcelain skin and stormy blue eyes. His suit was of an expensive sort, with a black silk tie. The brunette could already tell he was of a high pedigree just by appearances alone.

But he was most likely related to Barry in some way, so she kept her prejudices to herself. Allowing a curt nod, Samara agreed, "Yes, he is quite enchanting."

Accepting two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, the newcomer offered one of the glasses to the amber eyed woman with a sly smirk. "Though not as enchanting as yourself."

This time Samara couldn't keep her mouth in check. Though she accepted the glass, the young woman clicked her tongue with furrowed brows, mumbling, " _Pahlok_." Then in a louder voice: "Thank you. I'm Samara Kingscreek," She tacked on, for manners sake.

She nearly missed how the man's eyes narrowed minutely before his playful smirk widened. "So what brought a beautiful woman to a place like this?"

"That would be me," A familiar voice chided before Barry appeared to Samara's left, a tight smile gracing his lips while his eyes were narrowed. Offering a hand, the blonde spoke with mirth. "Hey Bruce, glade you could make it." He turned to Samara. "Sam, this is Bruce Wayne, he's one of our benefactors for the state police."

Samara only tilted her head. "So he is a nobleman?"

Bruce chuckled, "Yeah, you could say that." He then looked to Barry, "Allen, mind if I steal you away for a moment."

"Hm? Uh, yeah sure. Why not?" Placing a hand on Samara's shoulder, Barry grinned. "Why don't you save me a seat before the lion show comes on?"

Samara smiled back just as warmly, "Sure." And she ventured off to the benches where already a few people started to take her seat.

* * *

"So Bruce, what did you want –"

"That woman is Dovahkiin," Bruce interrupted without preamble. His harsh glare flickered to the woman sitting in the front row of the stands, looking around herself in wonder. "We need to get her out of here, now."

Barry's eyes widened in shock before narrowing in anger. "What? How do you know?"

The black-haired man sighed at his friend's defensiveness. "Something isn't right with her. Even you can tell. Her mannerisms, the way she acts and reacts to the things around her. Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

It's true, Barry conceded. He recalled the first-time Samara freaked out when she rode the bus and heard a radio playing music. Even her personality seemed off, the way she interacted with people and called the street lights 'fairy lights', but he suspected that was all because she came from an outdated town in Scotland. But now, with Bruce (the 'never-wrong-always-right' Batman) claiming she was the medieval vigilante who called herself Dovahkiin, it was starting to make sense.

In the background the lion show was already starting, but neither were in the state of mind to care, vaguely aware of the applause and roars of the lion.

After a while, the blonde sighed in resignation. "Alright, so what now?"

Bruce wasted no time. "Try and convince her to leave with you early. Tell her to go on a walk with you, anything. I'll –"

Their conversation was interrupted when the applause suddenly shifted into shouts of terror.

Hastily turning around, Barry gasped when he saw that the lion had mauled his trainer and was now climbing the wired fence and towards the now fleeing crowd. While everyone seemed to climb over each other, desperately evading the lions path, Samara calmly stood from her seat and faced the beast head on.

Barry saw the lion lock eyes with the brunette before jumping from the fence and prowling towards the red dressed woman. "Samara!" Barry shouted, preparing to use the speed force to get his friend out of harm's way. However, a hand wrapped around his bicep preventing that to happen. Whipping around to glare at Bruce, the speedster growled, "What the hell are you doing?! Let me go!"

Bruce said nothing and instead watched the interaction with calculated interest.

Samara widened her stance a bit before inhaling a large breath while the lion growled and stalked closer at a faster pace. " _Kaan Drem Ov_!"

Barry felt his body tense when the beast suddenly stopped, a mere foot away from his date, and then suddenly laying down, looking up at the woman obediently.

Samara did not smile, did not bother petting the beast. She only looked at it before pointing it back to his cage, the creature standing and doing as it was wordlessly asked. Samara looked back to where Bruce and Barry stood, with expressions of caution and bewilderment respectively.

The brunette rose a hand and took a step forward before stopping and instead leveling the blonde with disheartened brown eyes and wordlessly turning away, running from the pair and out the park before anyone realized what just happened.


	10. IX

**Warning: Fair bit of angst.**

 _I was a fool!_ Samara chided herself. _To think he could actually care about someone like me. Like this._ Back in Nirn, where everyone knew Samara as the Dragonborn, no man would want anything to do with her; she was too strong to be a submissive wife and too well-known for anyone to reciprocate her feelings honestly. The only man she was close to was Krosis, and he was an Avian! They weren't even human, just a Dragon hybrid who were forbidden from socializing with humans. Dragonborns weren't even supposed to befriend Avians – they were mortal enemies – so already there was that social stigma in the way.

 _At least here_ , Samara thought, _Here I had a chance to find someone_. But now that chance was ruined. It's been ruined. The Dragonborn was not blind, she saw how many heroes were often alone and isolated themselves, wearing masks as one of the solutions to separate their lives. But Samara just ripped hers off (metaphorically speaking). The cognac-eyed woman revealed her abilities here, where her Thu'um was feared and people saw the Dragonborn as an enemy. _That look in his eyes_ , she recalled, slowing down. "He was afraid of me." Looking around, the brunette realized she was at the bridge she appeared on so long ago. The water was an inky black, reflecting the city lights and shimmered with its mystery. "Kyne, I was quite the fool, diluting myself into fitting in. I truly am cursed."

There was a sharp fizzing in the air before the breeze shifted for a moment and a man called out cautiously. "What are you doing?"

Samara blinked and realized she was sitting on the rails, towards the water. Looking back, the red dressed woman saw the famed speedster that safe guarded this town. "You are the Flash correct?" She questioned, still leaning on the rails. "Guardian of Central City." The brunette sighed, looking back into the water. "Leave me, I am in no mood to entertain."

But instead of heeding the warning of her tone, the red clad man took a cautious step forward. "I think you should get down from that ledge, ma'am."

"Why?" Samara quipped back, honestly confused. "The water cannot harm me. The worst thing that can happen is my clothes getting wet." She sighed, standing with alarming balance despite wearing heels. "I am no mortal," She stated sadly before turning to the scarlet speedster who had his arm raised with a wary look in his eyes.

"Then who are you?" He questioned, stepping forward in preparation to catch her.

"I am the daughter of a Seraphim and mortal woman, a Dragonborn," Samara answered honestly. "Samara of Kingscreek, exile of Skyrim."

"'Seraphim'? 'Exile of Skyrim?" Flash seemed to be having trouble wrapping his head around it, so the brunette found it prudent to help him understand.

"In this world, 'Seraphim' are better known as Angels. And 'exile' is what it means; I hailed from the Land of Skyrim – in a world separate from your own – until the king removed me."

"And why did he do that?"

"Because I refused to marry him." At his shocked silence, Samara sighed. "I am the Champion of Skyrim, slayer of the demon who threatened our peace, Abaddon the bloodthirsty. Had that child-king made me his wife, I would be bound to serve only his Kingdom and aid him in the inevitable wars he would wage." Stepping down from the ledge, the brown eyed woman kept her eyes locked on those jade green-eyes. "I refused as it would take me away from my duties of defending the people."

Flash stared at the woman with wide eyes before awkwardly coughing. "So…" He pointed to her. "Dragonborn."

Samara shrugged, "Or Dovahkiin, it means the same thing."

"And you're just stuck here."

"Quite."

"So what's your plan?"

"Pardon?"

"Since you're stuck here what do you plan on doing?" Flash detailed, gesturing to the city. "I mean, are you going to keep on doing hero work or what?"

Samara hummed. "While that thought did cross my mind, I realize that – while my actions were accepted back in Skyrim – my abilities cause more harm than good. Apparently, these people have never heard of the Thu'um and therefore it causes mass hysteria." She sighed. "No, no. I think I'll be fine – what do you people say? – 'keeping on the down-low'," she air quoted. "Though I might have to leave town."

"What? Why?" He actually sounded concerned.

"I used my abilities tonight in front of… someone I admire. I planned to never reveal my Thu'um without hiding my appearance, however it happened and now he is afraid of me."

"But that doesn't mean you should leave! I mean, what if he was just shocked?"

She gave a mirthless smile. "I have been Dragonborn my whole life, I know what fear looks like on a man's face as I am often the cause of it. He will no longer see me as his friend but rather a monstrosity."

Flash then stepped up to her, his green eyes open and chastising. He hesitated, glancing to the side before looking back at Samara with determination. "Look, I'm not turning you in, but you have to promise not to leave just because of one guy. Stay. Talk to him, keep singing those songs at the park, just don't go."

Samara eventually nodded, though her brows were still scrunched together. "Very well, you are right. I cannot let one determine where I live. Besides, Esther would be very disappointed." Walking back to town, Samara nodded as she passed the scarlet speedster. "I thank you Speedster, I feel marginally better now."

Flash nodded back and raced back to town, the resulting breeze causing Samara's dress to billow just slightly.


	11. X

_She's avoiding me_ , Barry concluded with a sigh as he left the coffee shop after an hour of waiting.

After last night, getting grilled by Batman and talking with Samara, he felt conflicted on what should be done.

The whole Justice League knows of her now, was made aware of her situation (though Batman is still speculative, then again, when wasn't he?), and wants Flash to bring her in as he has a lower chance of getting blown away by her shouts or something.

He could do it as Barry Allen, but considering she was as sparse as a breeze on a summer day, that chance was slim.

After walking around Central Park for 30 minutes, desperate for a sign that Samara didn't lie and left town, the sound of a mellow flute and shake of a tambourine sang with the chirp of the birds.

 _war leaves its trail  
in moonlight so pale  
its shadows they flow  
in rivers, in rivers  
so put on my mask  
I'll go where they ask  
so I might once again see the  
Roses of May_

Listening to that voice, Barry walked faster until he hit the end of the trail and ended up at the fountain center of the park. Samara sat by the fountain, a guitar on her lap as she sang with the other performers in the park who came to adore her, drawing quite a crowd.

Barry just stood there before his feet drew him closer to the front of the crowd and in front of the brunette, noticing she wore a long black trench coat to combat the mild breeze of the upcoming winter and her eyes shut in focus as she sang.

 _fate holds the blade before you  
mirrored in maiden's eyes  
far from myself I fly  
into the perilous skies  
and they said  
follow the blade before you  
fear fall and courage rise  
leave all your tears behind you  
far from where innocence lies_

He just allowed her to sing, silently willing her to look up, open her eyes, anything to open her eyes. Eventually, feeling his intense gaze on her, Samara looked up and faltered only slightly before quickly joining the other girls in their song. Looking away as if she wished he were not there.

 _Led here by fate  
No longer afraid  
So here now I lay  
My Roses of May_

The crowd clapped politely and the performers gave modest bows while a few worked on splitting the tips.

Samara strapped the guitar across her back, shaking her head when one of the girls tried to hand out her share. "Keep it, I'm required elsewhere."

The girl quirked a brow, but didn't argue as she simply smiled. "Alright, catch you later."

Samara gave a curt nod and slight bow to the girls while they parted before reluctantly facing Barry.

They spent some time simply staring at each other before Barry said the first thing that came out of his mouth. "You haven't answered my calls, or my texts."

"I…" Samara sighed, turning to walk and was followed by the blonde patiently. "I dropped my mobile in the sink while debating on replying," she admitted shyly. Looking up at the man, she spoke despairingly. "About last night, I…"

"You're the Dovahkiin," Barry finished when she was silent for too long. Though she looked up at him in surprise, he only returned that expression with an easy smile. "And what you did was pretty awesome."

"I… It was?" She shook her head and stopped, thankfully in a sparsely populated part of the trail. "Wait, how did you know?"

Barry smiled and bit his lip. "Let's just say, you're not the only one with a secret." Immediately following, he flashed out of sight only to tap her shoulder and zip back in front of her, this time with a cheeky grin.

Samara blinked wide eyed before smiling widely. "Incredible." But then paled slightly before blushing bright red. "Wait? So that means…" She groaned. "Ugh, it was you I spoke to last night."

"Yup." Barry popped the 'p' with a wide grin.

With a sigh, Samara adjusted her guitar while looking up at the smug speedster. "So what now? I assume you told me of your secret identity for a reason."

The blonde chuckled while rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, about that…" His mobile then chimed, the ringtone identifying the caller as someone from the Hall of Justice. Giving an apologetic smile, Barry answered. "Yo."

"Flash," It was Cyborg, and he sounded rushed. "Please tell me you have the Dovahkiin with you."

"Uh," Barry flashed a quick glance to Samara who was looking up at the trees where a few squirrels happened to be fighting. "Yeah, what's up?"

"A portal just appeared in Metropolis and some winged… guy was flying around, like he was looking for someone. Assuming he's after who we think he's looking for, that Dovahkiin girl, Superman managed to take him down and convinced him we have her, so please tell me you got her. He calmed down and followed us to the Hall." The part-machine sounded exasperated. "I'd really hate to have this guy pissed at us for lying, especially since he was pretty much on par with Superman."

Barry was now frowning, earning Samara's attention. "Sure, no problem. Catch up with ya in a flash." Hanging up, the green-eyed man gave a sheepish smile. "Hey Sam, you don't happen to know anyone with wings, do you?"

Samara nodded, "Of course, back in Nirn I knew an Avian. Despite the fact that Dragonborns and their kind are enemies, I befriended one who we called Krosis."

Barry blinked. "Oh, well, I think he's here to see you."

The brunette frowned. "But there is no need, unless…" She clenched her hands. "We must see him, but first I require my armor."

Picking her up, Barry nodded. "Alright, got it."

 **[Note: I was listening to A LOT of Erutan when I was writing this, so – in case you were curious: Roses of May]**


	12. XI

Avians:

A race of humanoids with diamond wings worth a dragons weight in gold. It was said they were once humans who worshiped the Dragons as their Gods (see _Occults of Tamriel_ for more information), but gained unholy attributes by drinking Dragons blood. Their characteristics include durable wings, enchanting voices and superior magic skills. As they are somewhat Dragon themselves, it is hypothesized that they too can defeat the Dragons but because their religion forbids it, that theory is unknown. They are a mysterious race who live far from civilization and so their customs and full abilities are relatively unknown.

* * *

Arriving to the Halls containment cells, Barry was expecting a lot of things – a man with the body of a bird, head of a bird, maybe even talons – but he did not expect some well-muscled, bronze skinned dude with diamonds for wings (could expand over 22 feet) that shimmered with some internal light. It didn't help that all he had was some sort of dark blue cloth over his crotch with gold embroidery and a huge bird skull.

As the blonde walked in, he noticed that Green Lantern was looking over a large spear with a black stone as the blade, some smaller bird skulls helped identify it as that guys weapon. Seeing his red clad friend, Hal gestured to the spear. "Bird guy here came at Sup's with this. Managed to nick him pretty good." Glancing to Samara, who looked to the Avian with a contained smile (her hood down and mask strapped to her hip now that her identity was known to the League), the Green Lantern smirked and nudged his friend. "So this is the girl? She's pretty cute." This earned a glare, but the brown-haired pilot just laughed. "Hey, hey, why you getting mad at me for? I'm not the one you need to worry about."

When Hal gazed over Barry's shoulder pointedly, the speedster turned around, only to find Samara already walking towards the glass cell and raising a hand, the diamond winged man doing the same, their expressions matching in longing and relief.

The green-eyed man felt his chest tighten at that expression before he moved forward to join her and Cyborg, the rest of the gang cautiously joining.

"He hasn't said a word since coming here," Cyborg spoke up, fiddling with his scans. "Preliminary scans show that his vocal cords are severed."

Samara nodded, eyes never leaving the eyeholes of the Avian. "Of course. Back in Skyrim, Avians are widely known for their beautiful voices, able to sing songs that reach their ancestors, but should they dishonor their clan, they are required to sever their connections by cutting their vocal cords."

"How barbaric," Wonder Woman spat, crossing her arms and giving the winged man a pitying look.

"Perhaps," Samara admitted before facing the group. "I need to speak with him, is it alright if you release him?"

"His vocals are cut," Hal pointed out with a quirked brow. "How are you going to talk to him?"

The bird mask jolted to the green masked man's direction, and though he couldn't see his face, Hal could tell he was being glared at.

" _Nahgah Miraah_ ," Samara answered as if it were obvious. When they gave her confused expressions, Samara tapped her lip, searching for the right words. "It's like… Mind melding."

"Telepathy," Batman further simplified, earning a shrug. He crossed his arms. "Is there a way he could project it so we all can see it, just so we know you're not lying."

"Batman..." Barry sighed.

Krosis turned to Batman and nodded. Samara smiled at the tanned man before looking back to the group and explaining, "Yes, it can be done."

"Then let's get started." Batman declared, tapping in the code to release the Avian.


	13. XII

Transport Spells:

A type of Forbidden spell that depending on the cast, enables the speaker to teleport themselves and/or others to or from a certain location. The reason it is considered forbidden is that a single mage (see _Mages_ for more information) cannot successfully perform this spell alone. Either a large group of mages, ten or more, or a single Dragonborn, is able to perform such a complicated spell, though only a Dragonborn is able to cast it with accuracy, though the reasons are still unknown.

* * *

Barry didn't even realize he was glaring at Krosis until Diana brought it up.

"Stop glaring, I realize you have feelings for this girl, but nothing good comes from Man's jealousy."

The green-eyed man blinked, darting his head away from Samara and Krosis speaking (and nodding) with Batman to Diana and a smug Green Lantern. "What? Jealous? ME?"

Hal gave his friend an amused expression of disbelief. "Dude, if that's not jealousy, I don't know what is. Just because her old flame came back –"

"He's not her 'flame', they're just friends," Barry argued.

"And she told you that?"

"Well, yeah," Barry faltered.

The brunette man gave his friend a pat on the shoulder in passing. "You know what they say, 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder.'"

Left alone with that, Barry turned to the group as they gathered around Samara and Krosis.

The cognac eyed woman nodded to them. "The enchantment I am about to bestow upon us is a powerful and potent one. Whatever you do, stay connected to Krosis' mind, follow his spirit, do not stray."

Shazam rose up his hand. "What happens if we do stray?"

"Then you will be imprisoned in the mind of whoever you followed and rot for all eternity." She paused, glaring harshly before offering a chuckle and lighter expression. "No, but you will be lost and either find your own way back or I'll be forced to find you, both are a tiresome activity, so try not to do so." Turning to stand between Krosis and Barry, she reached for both hands. "Link hands, close your eyes and focus on a white ball in your mind. Keep focusing, slow breaths… _GMorah Hahdrim Miin_ ," she whispered in a single breath.

Before they realized it, the white ball expanded and an image of a diamond eagle filled their minds, cawing and leading them into the recesses of his mind.

Images flashed by, wooden villages, stone kingdoms, silver knights and soldiers until those flashes stopped into a grand yet darkened throne room. There, on a gilded throne, sat a young boy, barely a teenager, with a large crown and an aging soldier kneeling at his feet.

 _"I bear grave news, my lord. Dragon, sire, has risen,"_ the old man proclaimed hesitantly.

This seemed to shake many of those present at the grand hall, including the boy-king, who shook in anger. " _And? Is there nothing you can do about it?"_

 _"N-no sire. We are but mere soldiers only a Dragonborn can slay these demons."_

The child smacked is lips in irritation. " _Damn… What of the Avian? Surely a mortal with dragons' blood can –"_

 _"He refuses sire,"_ One of the soldiers proclaimed. " _Ever since…_ **she** _was banished, the Avian has made it a point to avoid our troops and rushing them off his territory."_

 _"The gall,"_ the blonde king seethed.

A man to his right in black robes coughed for attention. " _Technically, Avians are kingless creatures. As he is not mortal, we have no hold on him."_

 _"So, what now? We settle with Dragons scorching my land and our rivals encroaching on my territory?!"_

 _"My King, if I may,"_ that same black robed man stepped up. _His advisor, Gregor_ , a voice that sounded like Samaras' provided. " _I believe it would be in our best interest if we… bring back the Dragonborn."_

 _"Excuse me?"_ The boy growled, tilting his head in Gregor's' direction.

 _"She is the only Dragonborn in existence, and since our soldiers cannot defeat this threat, it is only a matter of time –"_

 _"She is a traitor to the crown! Refusing my hand -!"_

Gregor sighed, bowing. " _You are right my king, I won't bring it up again."_

The scene shifted with Krosis facing the advisor. " _I am aware of your distrust of the crown, but if you feel any sense of loyalty to the Dragonborn, you will do as I say."_ The brown-haired man guided the Avian down the dirt path of the forest, leading him to a large circle of mages. " _Though I won't be able to take you exactly where she is, we can send you to the world she was taken to. Bring back the Dragonborn, convince her to save our people, for I fear these Dragons are being led by a much darker hand."_ The last words spoken before everything faded to nothing were Gregor saying, " _Once more, the fate of our world lies on the Dragonborn, Nords guide us."_

As Barry was just preparing to follow the shiny eagle a melodious voice sung from behind one of the trees. There stood a young girl with shimmering amber eyes staring up at the group with a coy smile, ready to dart at a moment's notice when she saw the Flash stare back at her curiously.

"A wish-wanderer." The green-eyed man jumped at Samara's voice near his ear and a hand on his shoulder. She was looking at the girl too. "Sometimes our earliest memories attempt to entice us while we walk. Usually, they're the ones that are never dwelled upon."

A young boy appeared near the younger version of Samara, with jet black hair and stormy blue eyes, also alight with joy. The two fragments looked to each other and giggled before running around the tree.

"So they are what you meant when you told us not to wander," Batman mused, a sort of longing hidden in his gravelly voice. The dark-haired wish-wanderer turned to the caped crusader and smiled widely, his image slowly disappearing when Samara waved a hand across the air.

"They mean well," She explained, guiding the men back to the slowly retreating form of the diamond eagle. "But they constantly keep those who wander ensnared in warm and loving memories."

Barry thought this was coming from experience, but before he could voice that or offer some form of reply, a bright light engulfed his senses and he awoke in the JLA meeting room with everyone else.

While Batman took count of how many had their eyes opened, Samara nodded to Krosis. "Alright, so we should depart -"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on," Hal floated over and crossed his arms. "Depart? How the hell are you going to get back? You got a call or something?"

Samara scoffed. "Of course not, I'll simply Shout my way back."

Barry thought she was kidding, but going by the seriousness of her tone, he blanched. "What? You could do that this whole time?! Why'd you even bother staying?!"

The brunette scoffed as Krosis went with Shazam to retrieve his spear. "I am the Dragonborn of Kingscreek, I at least have some honor to uphold my promise to leave." She shrugged, "But if they need me back so badly, I can simply use my Thu'um. It was only inevitable really."

"Let me come with you," Barry stepped up, causing the JLA to stare at him wide eyed. "If that Dragon is as tough as these people claim, you're going to need all the help you can get."

"I don't think –" Superman interrupted her rebuke with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"If there are people in danger, we might as well come," The Kryptonian offered with a small smile.

Even Krosis looked to Samara and shrugged, inclining his head in an approving gesture. This finally earned a sigh. "Very well. We shall depart. Everyone hang on to each other and do not let go." While they all did what was asked, Barry quickly gripping Samara's left hand while Krosis linked arms with her right arm (the two having a sort of staring contest). After everyone had a grip on each other, the brunette took in a breath and exhaled with a shout: " ** _Nahl Dal Vus_**!"


	14. XIII

Barry found that this place was everything he expected it to be. According to Samara, she teleported them to a village in the West, Karthwasten, which was just a small village with a large river running through it and rolling hills. The trees were a thick green and sky a slate gray, threatening either rain or snow, though he was leaning towards the latter considering how cold it was here.

Looking to the east, Batman saw a large pillar of black smoke on the horizon and to the right of that, more smoke. As of yet, he has seen no absolute evidence of a dragon, but from what just happened, the possibility can't be ruled out.

Samara favored putting her hood over her head while they approached the village. Already a few people stopped to stare, some lingered on the Justice League (the glowing green man, a dark shadow shaped being, dark haired warrior maiden, the dark-skinned metal man, a red armored man, and a hero with a flowing white cape) though many finished their gaze to openly gawk at Samara, some in shock and others with wide smiles.

"Dragonborn!" A few of the children in rags ran up to the woman with wide grins. "Dragonborn! You're back!"

"We **knew** you'd be back! No man can keep our savior away!" A tiny girl in a dirty blue dress exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"Especially some no good rotten brat with a crown!" A slightly older boy shouted, swinging his wooden sword around with fever.

"Hey Dragonborn, who're these people?" Another child asked, staring up at Green Lantern with mesmerized blue eyes. "Are they Gods?"

"These men? Gods?" Another boy scoffed, looking around at Cyborg and tapping the metal of his back. "No way; the Gods know better than to meddle in mortal affairs."

"But what about him," A girl gawked at Superman, who smiled down at her awed expression.

While a few of the children gathered around the new heroes, a couple of the adults also came by. One man, a priest, and parent of one of the children touching Cyborg, actively went up to Samara and made a 'blessing' gesture before speaking. "Dragonborn, are these newcomers also children of Seraphim?"

Barry chuckled and waved his hand from side to side. "Oh no, no we're not. We're just here to help out."

Samara nodded and answered the priest. "He is truthful, Brother Malik, they are heroes from the world I was banished to and came to lend aid in this Crisis. Tell me, do you know more?"

The priest, Brother Malik, gave a solemn nod and gestured for her to follow. As they all struggled around the crowd, which easily departed with Samara at the front, the old man started speaking quietly. "Much has happened while you have been gone, Dragonborn. Dragons came from the East mountains and laid waste to the Kingdoms." The crowds slowly started to depart from their following, going back to their usual business. "Cattle are found slaughtered. Villages burned to the ground, including..." The priest stopped at the steps of the Chapel they approached, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder. His frown deepened while his gray eyes darkened in sympathy. "I'm sorry. Including Kingscreek."

Barry tensed, turning to gaze at Samara's hooded head and unable to determine her state of mind due to the obstructing garment. "Oh man," He prepared to place a hand on her shoulder, as a form of comfort, but was stopped by Krosis, who lightly grabbed him before contact could be made. The speedster darted his head to glare at the Avian, but was only rewarded with a shake of the head.

Before anything more could happen, Hal leaned into Barry, green mask watching the still silent Dovahkiin with concern. "What's Kingscreek?"

Barry turned to face the rest of the team, who stared at him, expecting an explanation and were justly rewarded with a grave answer. "Kingscreek is – was," He corrected with a flinch. "her home."

Samara turned to the priest, her amber eyes glistening, but refusing to form tears. "My mother?"

Brother Malik shook his head regretfully. "By the time soldiers arrive, the village was already gone. Nothing was saved. No one was left."

While the Justice League allowed that information to sink in, Samara eventually gave a saddened hum, a surprisingly mild reply. "It is no surprise," she nodded sorrowfully, slowing ascending the steps towards the church, the priest following in silence with the JLA just behind them. Her voice was quieter compared to before, hands clenched in fists at her sides as she looked ahead, refusing to turn to Barry's insistent gaze. "If the Dragons truly came from the East mountain, the attack was only inevitable as Kingscreek was at the base."

Barry was confused at her acceptance, and a little worried when the Priest didn't push it. Instead, the old man nodded in comfort, looking ahead as they reached the top of the stairs, hands clasped together in a prayer. "We can take comfort in the fact that she is passed this veil of tears. Sleeping within Kyne's arms."

Samara gave a wordless nod, though Bruce saw her fists clench tighter. It was obvious she did not believe that but did not voice her objection.

Barry just saw her face, how her lips tightened and eyes hardened while entering the sacred ground.

Brother Malik nodded to the right corridor where a set of stairs leading down awaited them, lit only by candle light. "With your arrival being against the crowns direct wishes, the head of the City Guard felt it prudent to meet with you in the catacombs."

"Of course," Samara answered, turning to face the Priest with a tight smile. "Thank you for your guidance."

When Brother Malik left, Barry stepped up to Samara, his green-eyes conveying the worry he felt for her. "Samara… I'm so sorry about your mother."

The brunette shook her head, refusing to look directly at the kind-heartened hero, instead focusing her gaze above his head. "Don't." She commanded harshly, lips gently quivering. "Thank you for your condolence, but it is unwarranted." She turned away, preparing her descent. "I'll meet with the City Guardsman, alone. Krosis, find a tavern for us to rest, take the League with you."

Diana stepped up to Samara, waving off Krosis when the large Avian attempted to guide the group outside. "Samara," she called. "I understand how much these people depend on you, but do you really think you're ready to start planning an assault in your current state of mind? You need time to grieve."

Turning around to face the group, Samara was already fastening her mask when she stared up at the group, amber-eyes cold as stone. "There will be time to grieve after my job is done."

Silence befell them and while Barry was preparing to step in, Batman nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, we understand." When the group gave the caped crusader dubious glances, he ignored them and left with Krosis, who stood by the Chapel doors expectantly.

When Barry turned back to argue with Samara, to convince her she wasn't alone, she was already gone.


	15. XIV

Abaddon, Demon God of Bloodlust:

A Demon God of Bloodlust and war, who plagued the land of Tamriel from 4E 313 to 4E 334. Like the Demon God Alduin before him, Abaddon had the shape and form of a Dragon and was able to influence Dragons surrounding the land, but unlike Alduin who wished its destruction, Abaddon wanted to subjugate Tamriel and its people. There is no known reason as to why Abaddon targeted Skyrim, but one theory suggests the Demon God wished to eradicate the Dragonborns of the North (see _Kalinda_ for more information). It wasn't until his after his defeat at the hands of the Dragonborn Samara that the land became safe once again.

* * *

Barry doesn't know how many hours it's been since Samara went to have her chat with the City Guardsman, but during that time Krosis silently guided them to a tavern and flew off somewhere East.

The sky was still a light gray, nowhere near nightfall so the group found it appropriate to stay outside and wander. Superman helped lift a fallen tree from their major road out of town, Hal entertained some of the kids with his ring and even Cyborg helped with the Blacksmith to improve with his designs.

The scarlet speedster on the other hand, was still sulking outside the Chapel, waiting for Samara. Even now, after hours of pondering, he couldn't understand how her reaction was so… subdued. Was this just the norm around here? Losing family to Dragons? Hearing how there were no survivors and simply saying 'oh well'?

"You're still worried about her." Barry jumped at the sudden voice just to his right, swiftly turning to see the Dark Knight standing right next to him and facing the village with a blank expression. "Aren't you?"

"No," the green-eyed man stubbornly denied, then quickly said, "Ok, yes, sue me, I'm worried for her." He shook his head, crossing his arms and pushing off the wall face to pace in front of Batman. "I mean, it isn't right! I get it, I do. She's a hero, we're heroes, we basically have the same job descriptions."

He stopped pacing and faced the Bat, who stared up at him, intently listening, making no move to interrupt.

"But she just lost her _mother_ ," Barry stressed, brows furrowed in sympathy. "She just came back and the first thing these people tell her is 'hey cool you're back and all, we need your help – btw, your mom is dead – come meet this guy.' It's like they expect her to shove aside everything that makes her human and not give her time to grieve."

When Barry took a breath, Bruce used that opening to speak. "I talked to the people here, gather some information," He started, looking out at the hustle and bustle of the city below. Children playing tag in the streets, villagers purchasing from merchants. It was like a simplified view of Central City. "Apparently, there's a legend of the Dovahkiin. They're offspring of a Seraphim and mortal."

Barry rolled his eyes, facing his friend. "Yeah, I know that. Samara told me."

But the black masked man continued, ignoring the interruption but gave Barry a pointed gaze. "They are revered as saviors, guardians of mankind. Though they themselves are mortal, they are blessed with power but cursed from normality. Samara knows this. During the war two years ago against that dragon Abaddon, she had to be something more than a mortal, just like how we have to be more than a rag tag team of heroes." He stepped off the Church wall and stood beside Barry, who silently listened, still frustrated but listening. "Samara knows she can't show any sign of weakness or hesitation, especially now. While I agree that she doesn't have to go through this alone, we have to understand that this world is different; they deal with things differently." He paused, then walked away, "So, let her deal."

It was close to night now. Snow started to fall from the sky when Krosis returned, arms and legs covered in ash. Barry couldn't help but give the man a suspicious glance, feeling the sentiment returned when the Avian perched himself on a bench facing the Church doors while the speedster himself stayed leaning against the building, next to a lit torch.

Barry smirked slightly, arms crossed and glancing at the still bird man preening his diamond feathers. _Dumbass_ , he thought. _Sitting in the snow without clothes on_.

 _-::It isn't precisely idiotic,::-_ a voice murmured in his mind suddenly. _-::Avians are known to have a higher core temperature because we fly in the sky. Of course, you should already know that being a man of alchemy.::-_

The red suited man instinctually knew it was Krosis who sent those thoughts, as the man had stopped grooming himself to stare at Flash with that large bone bird skull raised high. He glared at the man, the back of his mind thinking 'there's nothing charming about that voice' then outwardly saying, "So you can communicate."

 _-::I could always communicate like this. Samara and I do it all the time, something we always share with each other.::-_ Krosis thought to him snidely. _-::I just prefer not to meld with fools.::-_

Refusing to take the bait, and having to physically restrain himself from charging at the tanned man, Barry turned his head away and growled, "Where'd you go anyway? I'm pretty sure Samara wouldn't want us walking around making fools of ourselves and that's why she put you in charge."

 _-::I was asked to guide you to a tavern, not hold your hands as if you're hatchlings,::-_ that voice scoffed. _-::Besides,::-_ he hesitated but reluctantly continued. _-::I had to take care of something personal.::-_

Curiosity piqued, the green-eyed man hugged his arms even tighter around himself to conserve body heat; damn it was getting cold! "Like what?"

Krosis slouched, regretting this turn of conversation but seemed unable to refuse it. _-::I attempted to contact my clan towards the East.::-_

When the silence stretched on, Barry snapped. "And?"

The Avian rolled his head back in exasperation. _-::You're an idiot. My silence should already answer your question.::-_ He growled in annoyance. _-::They're not helping,::-_ he answered. _-::which is to be expected considering Dragons are still revered as our Gods and to go against them is to be considered blasphemy and grounds for banishment.::-_

Barry nodded to the ash still staining his hands. "And is that from your little talk too?"

Krosis was silent before answering. _-::No. Not really,::-_ he hesitated before continuing. _-::I went to Kingscreek before returning, just to ascertain the devastation. See if there truly was nothing salvageable.::-_ he paused, shoulders sagging in resignation, staring down at his hands. _-::Brother Malik was right. There weren't even bones left.::-_

A solemn silence befell the pair. Barry not knowing what to say and Krosis simply because he refused to communicate. Until a few minutes later.

A few patches of snow were forming on the ground when the broad chested man spoke up. _-::Who are you, in relation to Samara?::-_

Barry bristled, feeling the threatening undertone to the question. "What's it to you?"

Krosis was now sitting properly on the bench, leaning forward so his elbows touched the top of his knees. His voice sounded slightly angry when he replied, _-::I'm her friend, that's what.::-_

"Just her friend?" Barry scoffed, pushing off the wall at the same time the Avian sat upright, feathers bristling.

A moment passed before a smug Krosis came into his mind. _-::You know Avians are a type of Dragon, yes? Though we don't have the same Thu'um, our voices have some power and our senses are just as heightened. Like now, I can smell your jealousy from here. You don't like how close Samara and I are,::-_ he stated plainly with a bit of pride. _-::You have feelings for her as well.::-_

The speedster clenched his fists, vibrating with restraint. "What do you mean 'as well'?" He managed through clenched teeth.

Krosis merely laughed inside his mind before the Church doors opened and a worn looking Samara stumbled out. Her gait was different from before, like she couldn't hold herself before suddenly falling to the side.

Luckily, both because of the speed force and his positioning close to the door, Barry caught the white armored girl before she could hit the ground. His eyes widened when he felt how cold she was, despite being inside a securely warmed building. Turning to Krosis, who was already hovering over the unconscious girl, he demanded, "What's wrong with her? Why is she so cold?"

 _-::The catacombs have a teleportation stone and most likely took her to one of the dragon's locations.::-_ Placing a hand over her head, Krosis slowly reared back, body slowly relaxing but hands clenched. _-::She's sick. Using too much of her Thu'um just for revenge, what a fool you are.::-_ the last part seemed like an afterthought, something Barry shouldn't have heard. Uncaring of the slip, Krosis moved to take the unconscious Samara from the red clad speedster. _-::I'll take her to the tavern to rest.::-_

Before he could lay so much as a finger, Barry stepped back, glaring at the Avian. "As the fastest man alive, I think that job should go to me."

Having no room to argue, Krosis relented stepping aside.

Just when the scarlet speedster was preparing to take off, a hand gripped his bicep. Turning to consider one of the eye holes of the bird mask, Barry could just barely catch a glimpse of an icy blue iris. _-::Let's just get one thing straight,_ Speedster _,::-_ Krosis sneered. _-::Just because you have spent time with Samara, does not mean she will care for you as much as we care for each other.::-_

Barry narrowed his eyes at the challenge, quickly catching on the metaphor. It was obvious and now Krosis just confirmed it – the Avian was in love with Samara as well.

* * *

 ** _It's been a while guys, but I can only say one thing: thank you._**


	16. XV

Samara was burning up from the inside. Sweat rolled off her face and into her hair, soaking the bed she was splayed on and her under armor in the salty by-product.

She could barely recall how she returned to Karthwasten, let alone back to the tavern. The song of the bard flowing from under the floorboards was a dead giveaway. She sighed as the familiar song drifted through the floor, the woman spewing lyrical of her greatness that she felt was undeserved.

 _I tell you_

 _I tell you_

 _The Dragonborn comes_

 _With a voice wielding power_

 _Of the ancient Nord art_

 _Believe_

 _Believe_

 _The Dragonborn comes_

The last thing she remembered was teleporting to Shor's Stone – a small village miles from Kingscreek – and saw a dragon blowing pillars of fires at the homes and then… instinct. She fought off that dragon with all her being, throwing Thu'um after Thu'um, ignoring her fatigue and instead focusing on her rage until the beast was slain and she was surrounded by ash and the terrified populous of Shor's Stone.

After that, it was all a haze and then darkness.

 _-:: You are a fool,::-_ A voice murmured in her mind. Struggling to sit up against the headboard of her bed, the amber eyed girl smiled at her longtime friend, Krosis leaning against the opposite wall, looking out the snow framed window, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

His wings touched the ground and were tucked close to his body just so he could fit in the room and his mask was absent. It was rare to see an Avian without their mask, but when you do, it was hard to separate them from regular humans. His features were angular and elegant with deep set icy blue eyes that had slits for pupils, like a cat (or dragon). Krosis' hair was straight and tied back with a leather strap, reaching and stopping at the nape of his neck.

Samara smiled, "Perhaps." But then immediately gave a dry cough, her throat feeling like a desert. The brunette nearly regrets her rash decisions of using Fire breath time and time again, but recalling how the Dragon beast eventually fell and how its soul now resides inside herself, she stomped that feeling away. Looking to the bedside table, she reached for the wooden cup of water and drank greedily. "How long?" She croaked.

Krosis sighed, walking over to the wash basin by the foot of her bed and wringing out a wet cloth. Sitting down by her side, the Avian was hard to read despite the lack of mask – something that always intimidated the people who first met the creature. Though while his face always remained passive, his thoughts entering her mind were irritated and angry. _-:: We had Brother Malik heal you. Two days ago::-_ The rag when it made contact with her face was blissfully cool, but Samara smirked when Krosis started to rub away the sweat off her brow aggressively. _-:: You fool. Using your Thu'um so recklessly.::-_ The rag stopped when it cupped her neck, the anger slowly dissipating and his brows marginally furrowed, though he refused to make eye contact, instead just staring at his hand. _-:: You nearly died,::-_ His thoughts whispered.

The brunette relaxed her smirk to a soft understanding smile. Though her body felt like lead, Samara struggled to raise a hand to touch his arm and gave a weak squeeze. "I'm sorry to have worried you, but it was something that I had to do. Now mothers' soul can rest."

Krosis nodded back, standing and tossing the rag back in the basin. Leaning back against the wall, his thoughts were resigned but fond when replying. _-:: You humans and your belief in the afterlife. But… I'm glad to see it all worked out for your sake.::-_

Samara felt her muscles slowly gain strength and knew that soon enough, she'd be able to leave the bed.

A thought crossed her mind that she couldn't help but give voice. Tilting her head up at the tanned Avian, who kept his gaze locked to the window, the cognac-eyed woman asked, "How's Barry?"

Icy blue eyes flickered over in her direction, the pupils narrowed, but he eventually simply answered, _-:: Worried. He's been checking in on your periodically ever since bringing you here.::-_

The brown-haired woman couldn't help but smile at that. "Barry brought me here?" When the Avian gave a soundless nod, she folded her hands together. "He is such a sweet man."

 _-:: I do not like him.::-_ was Krosis' blunt reply that Samara quirked a brow at but retained her smile.

"You say that about everyone we partner with. But with Barry… He's different."

A second later the door whipped open and a tired looking Barry stood by the doorway, dressed in a pair of wool pants and wolf coat. Samara grinned widely at his entrance, glad to finally see his shining blonde hair and out of the distracting red suit.

Barry's eyes looked dull, and it took a while for those jade green eyes to widen in a realization that Samara was awake and sitting up. But when he did, the blonde shifted his gaze to glare at Krosis when he walked into the room. "Thanks for telling us she's awake." When Krosis merely shrugged, the green-eyed man rolled his eyes then smiled at Samara. "Hey Sammy, how you feel?" Brushing the back of his hand against her cheek, Barry visibly relaxed. "Your fever went down, so that's good."

The brunette nodded, feeling her face grow hot at the intimate gesture, wanting to lean into his caress. Before she could act on it, the rest of the JLA filed in, making the small room feel crowded and hot. Pulling away, she answered briskly, "Yes, I expect to be out of bed by high noon."

"Is that what the doctor said?" Barry quirked an amused brow. "Because I doubt that I saw anyone else come up here beside me and Wings over there."

"I'm Dragonborn, sickness does not make me useless." Ignoring the stabbing pain in her head, Samara moved to stand, swinging her feet off the bed and exposing her body to the chill of the room, scars and all. It was only when Barry and the men of the JLA quickly turned away did she realize she was covered in only her undergarments. Thankfully, Krosis was on the other side of the bed and threw the blanket over her. "Besides, we have bigger things to worry about."

"Okay, like what?" Hal drawled, covering his eyes with his hand but attempting to peek. His efforts were all for naught when Krosis actively extended his wing to cover Samara from the others, a glare having the embarrassed Lantern quickly turn away with a facilitating gesture.

Turning around, Samara saw Krosis already laying out her armor when Batman answered. "The Dragons are just pawns. The real threat is their leader, Phenax, the Dragon of Deceit." When Samara paused in pulling up her leather pants, startled at how much he knows, the black cowled man shrugged. "I spoke with the guardsman you met up with. He told us that he wanted to speak with you as soon as you awoke."

Samara nodded, quickly dressing. Her skin still felt hot and clammy, but she had a mission; she can heal herself on the way. "Then let's go."

* * *

Samara knew that the group was still hesitant on allowing her to complete her quest so soon, especially Barry. The green-eyed speedster, now redressed in his red suit, kept glancing at Samara in worry, expecting her to waver and fall like she did two days ago.

But while the brunette did indeed feel her body protest, she refused to give in and instead focused on arriving at city hall where the mayor was currently entertaining a Knight that wished to see the Dragonborn for himself.

 _-:: He's been here since yesterday and was told you were out hunting a Dragon,::-_ Krosis provided as they climbed the steps, Samara stealthily performing a healing spell to quickly bring down her climbing temperature and heal her aching muscles.

The hooded woman nodded, securing the mask on her face before opening the doors to a large lobby where a silver armored knight stood arguing with the mayor. "Knight of Markarth," she called, garnering his attention at her powerful voice. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

The knight stalked over to Samara, steps harsh and quick, leaving the group on edge until he suddenly kneeled in front of her. "Dragonborn, we are in need of your aid!"

"Right now?" Superman asked worriedly.

The silver knight tilted his head up to regard the rest of the group curiously, but Samara waved it off. "These are warriors from another land," She explained. "They also seek to aid us in this misfortunate endeavor."

The knight nodded before continuing. "There is a Dragon nest near the Kolskegger Mines. We've managed to inform the people to be wary but -"

"Kolskegger is the Kingdoms major source for gold," Samara added with a nod. "If we are unable to free it, then the people will suffer." She didn't even pause before agreeing. "I accept this bounty and promise it to be done before the end of this week."

The knights voice was pleased when he stood. "Thank you, Dragonborn."

Nodding her welcome, Samara smiled behind the face guard. "Oh, it's my pleasure." Turning back to the JLA, she smirked. "Looks like you'll finally be able to meet a Dragon or two." Walking out City Hall, waving at the passing villager as they left (the Kolskegger Mine was a two-day trip by foot and she planned to use that time to heal). "Good timing, considering I can barely handle two Dragons on a good day, let alone a nest."


	17. XVI

_Dragons:_

 _A large reptilian species capable of speech, written language, and comprehending other languages. It was said they were the first children of the Demon God Alduin, but after his banishment to Muldin (see Legends of Skyrim, for more information), the Dragons seemingly disappeared. Before 4E 201, Dragons were considered a legend, but when the Demon God Alduin (see Alduin, Demon God of Destruction, for more information) resurfaced and after his defeat, Dragons became a regular sighting and are often the cause of missing merchants, stolen cattle and ashened patches of forest._

 _They are seldom involved with the well-being of others and rarely nest together, but if influenced by a God (refer to 'Alduin' by Saint Golem for more information), they are capable of much. As far as anyone knows, they can only be killed by a Seraphim._

* * *

Arriving at Kolskegger Mine, the stone buildings surrounding the base of the mountain were ashen, brought on when the Dragons burned down the surrounding wooden buildings. It was here that pristine snow mixed with murky gray. The stone fountain of a newly built town square no longer ran wet, its marble stone black.

Stopping towards the center, Superman cringed at the sight of two shadows forever burned into the stone, arms raised in agony and mercy.

Crouching down to feel the ground, Samara pursed her lips in confusion. For Dragons to cause so much destruction only to suddenly stop when there was not a living soul left was unnerving. It only proved that a Demon God was behind their actions, agitating the normally isolated creatures and controlling them to move in packs, create nests.

"There's nothing here," Cyborg analyzed, looking over the town. "After all the citizens evacuated, the Dragons must've left to the mountain." He glanced over to the mountains the village it was based at. It was gray and white, ash and snow as no trees grew. Closer to the top was a large cavern that would take hours to climb, but for the League to reach in minutes.

"So, what now?" Shazam asked, staring up at the cavern as well with a slight head tilt. "Do we go knock on the door or…?"

" _Od Ah Viing!"_

The group flinched at the powerful roar and stared wide eyed at the woman who gazed up at the cavern expectantly.

Hal whistled and nudged Barry in the side. "Woah buddy, doesn't she got a pair of lungs on her. Kind of makes you wonder -"

"Shut up."The red clad speedster rolled his eyes, shoving his snickering friend away.

Moments later the wind shifted and all looked to the cavern to find four Dragons emerge, descending from the opening with roars.

"Alright," Samara had a smirk in her voice, taking out her bow and knocking an arrow. "I don't expect much, only that you don't get yourself killed. Steer clear of the fangs and claws, and do try not to get burned."

Krosis and Superman went up to the sky, joining forces to attempt to take down one of the four beasts.

Shazam lit up with electricity and bolted to the sky, grabbing hold of one of the remaining three and bringing it down near the outskirts of the village.

Wonder Woman teamed up with Hal against a dark brown dragon, leaving a murky red Dragon behind for Samara, Barry, and Batman to team up against.

 _-:: Remember Samara,::-_ Krosis warned, leaping in to stab at his emerald green opponent, Superman's laser eyes leaving shallow but burning marks on the Dragon hide. _-:: You've only just recovered, try not to overdo it, lest you'll become more a liability than a help.::-_

"My Krosis, what an unfathomable friend you are," She shouted, looking over to a confused Barry and shaking her head. "Nothing, Krosis is just reminding me to be careful. Stay back a moment." Taking a breath, she bellowed, " _Fus Ro Dah_!"

* * *

Summoning a machine gun, Hal gave a war cry as he shot continuously at the flying animal. He knew he was having some effect on the beast as the Dragon then started plummeting to the ground, knocking down a stone building. Before Diana could plunge her sword into his neck, the beast reared up and gave a shout of flame, forcing the two to evade.

"This thing just does not want to die!" Hal panted, creating a giant shield, struggling to keep the flames at bay.

Diana narrowed her baby blue eyes at the Brown Dragon, formulating a plan before turning to the Lantern. "Keep its attention, I've got a plan."

Hal gave an indignant shout when Diana ran back. "Why do I have to play decoy?!" When she stopped and gave the brunette an obvious look to the glowing green suit, Hal went back to his shield with a petulant pout. "Ok, yeah. Fine. I'll be the decoy."

When the fire dissipated, Hal flew up to the sky and shot out bursts of energy at the creature's face, having it howl in pain. "Hey, you giant lizard! Over here! That's right!"

The Dragon bodily turned to face the eye level Lantern, entranced and enraged by his glowing green form. Opening its mouth to release another pillar of flame, orange already gathering in the back of its throat, its roar was cut off when a sword pierced the top of his head.

Diana managed to catch the creature off guard and flew over its head, landing on the beast's neck and plunging her sword into his body, effectively killing it.

The brown winged lizard fell to the ground with a rumble, Diana jumping off and flinging its heated blood to the ground where it steamed from the sudden temperature change.

Looking up into the sky where Shazam punched his opponent into the clouds, a bolt of lightning also bringing the beast down, Hal smirked. "Well, they don't seem that tough. Think we can go and give the kid a hand over there?"

Diana nodded her agreement, and prepared to jump, but stopped when a harsh pant was let out from behind. Slowly turning around, Diana and Hal stared in shock as the great Dragon they spent the last thirty minutes fighting stagger to stand, the wound in the back of its head already closed and the light returning to its glowing yellow eyes.

 _-:: Foolish mortals, believing yourselves powerful enough to defeat me::-_ A gravely thunderous voice echoed around them, undoubtedly coming from the Dragon. _-:: You are not Seraphim, you cannot possibly defeat me!::-_ It finished with a cackle, beating its powerful wings and soaring into the skies. _-:: Prepare yourselves!::-_

* * *

Batman noticed two things watching the surrounding battles.

1\. The legend of only Seraphim or Dragonborn being able to kill a Dragon apparently held true. Superman dealt a killing blow to the Dragon and tried to move to help Shazam, only for Krosis to stop the Kryptonian and point to the slowly rising beast. His suspicion was confirmed when Hal and Diana's Dragon started to _talk_ and admit to only being able to be killed by a Dragonborn.

2\. Dragons could talk. He was not expecting that, but then again these creatures do have centuries to learn how to communicate and demand from people.

"Samara!" Barry shouted when the white armored woman was clawed and thrown 30 feet away, helplessly struggling to remove the stone crushing his legs after being whipped himself.

The brunette staggered to a stand, dazed and disoriented, though before Batman could lend aid, she shouted, " _Feim Zii Gron_!" Samara became enshrouded in a blue haze. When the murky red Dragon again tried to claw at her, its paw went through the air. She was now invulnerable to its attacks it would seem. Turning to the caped crusader, she shouted, "Help Barry and get out of here, I can handle this myself!"

Barry heard this and immediately retaliated. "But -"

"No negotiating!" She tilted her head to the side, voice softer. "Don't worry Barry, this is what I'm meant to do."

Following her orders, and knowing there was nothing to be done, Batman went to Barry's side, helping dislodge the stone from over his legs.

When the dark knight swung the speedsters arm over his shoulder for support, Flash struggled against it. "No! We have to help her! Bats, take me back!"

"There's no point Flash, with the state you're in, you'll only get in the way," Was his partners' blunt reply, silencing the man who twisted around to find Samara switching out her bow and arrows for a long sword.

Sighing Barry looked back up to the sky, frowning when he saw how effortlessly Krosis fought with his opponent, Superman only serving as a distraction. At least with Krosis by her side, she wouldn't have to spend a fight ever worrying about him, Barry thought to himself sourly, limping away as Samara finally plunged her sword into the beasts head through the eye.

Samara panting, taking in a deep breath as she felt its soul meld into her own. Looking around, the Dragonborn took shallow breaths, slowly feeling her strength return after consuming its soul but worn from using so many Shouts. _One down, three to go._


	18. XVII

By the last Dragon, Samara was sweating bullets despite the mountainous chill. As an Avian, Krosis was able to kill one Dragon, but since he was not Dragonborn, the dragon's soul returned to its body and they continued to fight until the white armored Dragonborn came to finish the job.

With the Justice League standing back when the last Dragon fell, watching in awe as its spirit was absorbed by Samara, Barry was the first to react when her sword fell to the ground and her knees buckled.

"Whoa!" the cognac-eyed woman exclaimed in surprise. She chuckled at Barry's worried expression. "Forgot my body's a lot more tired than my spirit sometimes."

 _-:: Careless,::-_ she heard Krosis murmur in her mind, landing on the ground beside Wonder Woman with a dull thud. Despite the bird skull, she can feel his amusement at her actions in her mind.

"That was…" Barry started, his expression unreadable.

"Incredible," Wonder woman interjected with a slowly growing smile.

"Awesome!" Shazam fist pumped the air.

"Stupid!" Barry shouted, tightening his grip around a surprised Samara. The blonde recalled how the Dragonborn refused Batman's help, moved into Superman's line of sight when he was using laser vision and how she only used Diana's help to have the woman toss her in the open air to entice the Dragon to attack. "Honestly Sam, I know we're useless to you but _please_ , when we offered you our help can you at least take it before hurting yourself?"

Despite her strength, despite being a Dovahkiin, Barry was worried for her, in a way no one else has ever been. Hesitantly, both uncertain and tired, Samara wrapped her arms around Barry as well. "I apologize, it won't happen again."

Barry nodded, slinging her arm over his shoulder to support her weight. "Damn right it won't! Honestly Samara," He sighed, voice slowly giving way to concern. "Just because you're strong, doesn't mean you shouldn't take help where you can get it."

Krosis then appeared on her other side, also offering support. _-:: Your concern is unnecessary, she knew what she was doing.::-_

"What, like the last time?" Barry snapped, glaring at the bird mask, earning a ruffle of those diamond feathers.

Samara blinked, looking between the two. She stared at Barry in awe. "Is Krosis communicating with you?" Before either of the two could stutter out an explanation, the girl grinned widely. "That's fantastic! He's finally opening up!"

"Wait," Shazam interrupted, pointing at the Avian. "He can't talk but he can ' _talk'_."

"Telepathy," Batman supplied, glancing at Krosis suspiciously while Barry and the tanned man refused to look at each other again.

The brunette Dragonborn nodded, smile still present. "Yes. Krosis doesn't mind-speak to anyone except myself ever since his banishment from his clan. He's just shy that way as mind melding is typically an intimate thing for Avians."

Barry gagged earning a glare from the Avian at the social reminder. Krosis hasn't felt that way about his mind melding in a while, but being the only one who spoke to Samara in such a manner made him feel special. It was just when Barry came around, he felt it necessary to bring his point solidly across; the black haired man wasn't going to give up Samara that easily. Especially to some red clad foreigner.


	19. XVIII

Samara set the pace for the walk back to Karthwasten. She could've easily used a teleportation stone to get them all back into town quicker, but after explaining to Barry that the stone required a large amount of spiritual energy that would leave her fatigued, he refused and was content on using the two days walk as an excuse to get her strength back.

While she guided the group on the ground, Krosis kept vigilance in the sky, along with Superman, Hal and Shazam, the latter of the three attempting to get the Avian to 'speak' to him in the same manner as Samara and Barry.

Barry, for his part, was keeping his distance; still within reach but was respectful of the woman's need for independence. Ever since Krosis crept into the blondes' mind about how much he knows how Samara valued space, Barry was starting to feel annoyed towards the bird masked man and inadequate of Samara's affection. He was also worried as to how she felt about him; the woman was just about as easy to read as a rock.

Batman was aware of the speedsters sulking mood, easily pin pointing the cause to the tanned humanoid in the sky and sighed in annoyance. Honestly, they were on a mission, now was not the time for childish middle school love triangles, if that was even the case.

Wonder Woman found the entire thing fascinating. Dragons and kings, romance and war, it was all much more enjoyable to live out compared to reading. Plus, it was nice to have another woman to talk to on the team, even if it was only temporary. Sure she liked the JLA, but talking with a like minded woman was a good change of pace not to mention, Samara reminded Diana of an Amazonian, so it helped quell some of that home-sickness she's been feeling the last two days.

Walking in step with the hooded brunette, the raven-haired princess had to ask, out of curiosity and slight boredom, "So, when did you figure out you were a Dragonborn? Was it something you've always known or was it learned through battle?"

Samara looked up to the sky in thought as she answered carefully. "Hmm, a bit of both I think. Growing up, I've always known I was a little different. I was faster than the other kids, stronger. Mother said I was special like my father, despite my never knowing him. It wasn't until I was twelve and killed a Dragon did I realize how special I truly was."

Diana recalled how large those beasts were in shock. Over a hundred meters tall with teeth as large as Superman, all muscle and power capable of destroying a city in minutes. "You defeated one of those beasts when you were still a child?" She questioned in awe.

The white armored woman shrugged. "Like I said, I was different. After that, I was taken in by Greybeards - you would call them monks - to learn the dragon language and use my Thu'um. I took in random quests here and there, mainly bandits or giants until Abaddon came. By then I was around 21 and already vanquished at least ten – fifteen? – problematic Dragons."

Those within hearing (which was everyone) listened into the conversation with great interest. Barry was shocked at how young Samara was when she first became exposed to this type of thing, and on a daily basis. Cyborg was analyzing her heart and brain waves for if she were lying or not (which she wasn't, which made it all the more impressive). Superman and Shazam were impressed and amazed. Hal was slightly intimidated by the girl ('remind me not to piss her off'). While Batman and Krosis continued to look on, both already knowing how capable Samara truly was, by experience and observation.

Diana kept the conversation going, invested in the conversation as it provided profound insight to the girl they are currently working with. "And Krosis? I heard the villagers mention how Avians are supposedly natural enemies to Dragonborn as they are a type of Dragon. How did this partnership come to be?"

Barry listened intently, moving to walk behind them without making it too obvious. Of course, Batman noticed but saw no reason to point him out on it. Again, he thought the rivalry between the speedster and Avian was childish.

Samara glanced up at the tanned man, who still maintained vigilance above her head before she spoke. "I found Krosis when I was a little girl, before I became the Dragonborn. I was climbing the mountains by my village when I came across a strange fully-grown man with wings. Avians are immortal, so he hasn't changed much since I met him, but I do recall his wings being duller the day we met. His wing and arm was trapped under a particularly heavy boulder that day and I just helped him." She smiled fondly. "He had such a nice voice back then. He knew straight away that I wasn't normal simply because I did not throw myself at him or worship him." She giggled. "Instead, I started chastising him about flying during a windstorm and set off on my hike." Her smile faltered. "Later on, the Dragon came and he helped evacuate my village while I went and fought the Dragon with the City Guard; foolish, but worth it. Krosis was then banished from his clan, stripped of his voice and has been with me ever since."

"How noble." Diana noted, looking up to the diamond winged man hovering high above. The sky was still shrouded in a gray blanket, snow slowly starting to fall, but even so, those wings shimmered with a light of their own.

Samara could only hum in acknowledgement, lost in the memories of Krosis and her growing up together. How Krosis was the one who taught her the bow and arrow, long sword and what a Dragons weak points were. He was a good teacher, and a good man. "Can't imagine a world without him by my side." Stopping at a random base of a tree, the brunette glanced around. "This looks like a good place to make camp. We shall rest here till dawn."

The group gave a grunt of agreement before setting off to work gathering firewood, Krosis conjuring warmed blankets and Samara taking out the packed dry meats.

"So, Samara," Shazam called out, munching hungrily on a strip of jerky, smacking his lips together. "What's it like being back home?"

Samara gave a sad smile, gazing into the fire. She hugged herself while the clouds started to grow darker due to the escaping sun. "Tiresome but, fulfilling. I didn't expect things to get this bad before I got here."

"A real leader wouldn't allow his people to suffer over petty pride," Wonder Woman commented sharply.

Superman nodded his agreement from beside the Amazonian. "She's right; if he had just called you sooner, a lot of people could have been spared."

The cognac eyed woman sighed, her breath coming out her mask like white smoke. "Perhaps..." She trailed off suspiciously. The group remained puzzled, so she explained. "The Demon, Phenax, is able to take any form he can. Abaddon was easy to find because he could not change his form. But Phenax is the Demon of Deceit, he's smarter than that."

"He can be anything, become anyone," Batman mused. "Even a king if he wanted."

Samara tapped her finger to her chin, brows furrowed under her hood. "Could he be? It is possible… Then again, he could just as easily be Gregor, the king's advisor."

Hal quirked a brow, thoroughly confused. "You're the only person in the world who can kill him, why would Phenax want you come back?"

"Conquest." Cyborg inputted neutrally. "His victory will mean nothing if he cannot subjugate a being of immense power. For him, besting Samara in battle will only solidify his claim in this world."

"So, the chances of it being someone from the court is pretty high. What do we do?" Barry asked, leaning over from Samaras left to look past her hood.

Linking her fingers, Samara sat upright with a smirk in her voice. "I suppose now is a good time to show you our capital. Solitude."


End file.
